MORE SPONTANEOUS, ANTIQUE HAIKU

yet another installment from the series of 80 haiku I wrote in 1.5 hours while teaching up North in Cleveland. Some silly, some serious.

I must grade these papers
The pile grows ever higher
Maybe I’ll burn them…


When can I go home?
I am tired of this place.
I want my own bed


Washing the chalkboards
The water soon turns milky
Must go dump bucket


Standards based lessons
They all need five elements,
Anyone know them?


In the math classroom
Students try to stretch their minds
Can you smell the smoke?


I’m teaching English--
My students can’t write at all
How did I get them??


“come to class prepared!
“I do not give out pencils!
Go buy them yourself!”


I find her gorgeous
She is so pretty to me
Though she is so old


Wrinkles on his hands
Shows the history of his life
And the work he’s done


My grandmothers face
Will come to me in my dreams
Though she is long gone

SPONTANEOUS ANTIQUE HAIKU: VOL II

the last 2 are some o' my favs...

Teacher inservice
Feel my life slipping away
Can’t wait to go home.


Soda pop and chips
That’s all I have for dinner.
Must go to the store.


Turn off that TV!
Shut down! Read a book instead!
Stretch out with your mind!


You gave me something.
What do I do with this thing?
It confuses me…


The baby grows fast
Swimmer in the secret sea
We must get ready


You are quite pregnant
And you throw up every day
I hope it’s worth it…


I forgot my pills
The little pink one I take
To keep myself calm


I think she is cute
I should say something witty
So that she’s impressed.


What’s that he’s eating?
It’s bright blue and small and square
I’m not sure it’s food.


I should do some work,
Be responsible…
What’s on the TV?

SPONTANEOUS ANTIQUE HAIKUS: VOL 1

back in 2001 I was teaching English/Language Arts at an urban middle school. We were studying poetry, specifically the haiku. I assigned students to go home and write four haiku for homework. They grumbled like hell and I said it wasn't THAT hard-- I could write 40 haikus over nite. They doubted me, and I penned 4 pages worth of haikus--about 80 in all-- in a little over 2 hours while still at school. 80 haikus are waaaay too much to sift thru in 1 post, so I'll break 'em up for ya. Here's the first session, many are school related:

Soft rains fall tonight
I hear it splash on windows
It lulls me to sleep


Sitting on the roof
I see the bright stars come out
I feel the wind blow


Winter blows cold winds
The blood rises to my face
I soon head indoors


My students are cool
Even though they talk all day.
I hope they’ll all pass…


I hate broccoli!
Their loathsome green flower-heads!
Throw it all away!


See the fuzzy peach.
Soft hair grows from it’s surface
The fruit needs a shave.


Yo’ momma be phat!
I say she be on rye bread!
How can you stand it?


I’m on a diet.
Eating up celery stalks
I dream chocolate.


Sitting in meetings
I feel my butt go numb.
My brain will follow.


Rubrics all around
District gives huge piles of them
All to change next year.